Quality of life after Whipple pancreatoduodenectomy and pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy: a comparative study

The authors performed a comparative analysis of the Quality of life (QOL) in 97 patients after pancreatoduodenectomy, 55 of whom underwent pylorus-preserving surgery (PPDE), and 42 underwent classic Whipple procedure (GPDE). QOL was evaluated using questionnaire EORTC-QLQ-C30, version 3.0, and both analyzed groups were divided into 3 subgroups according to the time period after the surgery (less than 6 mo, 6-12 mo, and more than 12 mo). All the patients were operated on for pancreatic or periampullary cancer. During the first period after surgery (less than 6 mo), the integral QOL index is lower than in patients who were examined after the first 6 mo. After PPDE, parameters of physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning were higher than after GPDE; however, these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0,05). Indicators of QOL have changed with time, but intergroup (PPDE vs GPDE) differences were not statistically significant in every analyzed time period after surgery. Financial constrains were registered in patients of both groups and at different times after surgical treatment.